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The Music Room recently teamed up with a nationwide organization called Guitars For Vets, donating 22 guitars and eight amps to the cause. Started in 2007, Guitars For Vets is dedicated to providing music lessons and guitars to veterans who deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The organization has grown to over 80 chapters in more than 40 states, providing weekly and monthly lessons to veterans.

“We’re happy we are able to help bring these vets the healing power of music,” said The Music Room owner Carol Cook. “We look forward to being part of ongoing success of this organization.

Sadly, thousands of vets in America are affected with PTSD – more than half of the 2.6 million that served in Iraq and Afghanistan are affected by debilitating anxiety due to their traumatic experiences in the war. In fact, 22 commit suicide every day. Guitar For Vets is working to fix that problem. The organization began when Milwaukee guitar instructor Patrick Nettesheim started teaching Vietnam vet Dan Van Buskirk how to play. It became clear within just a few months that not only was Buskirk easily capable of learning, but playing guitar improved his PTSD symptoms. Since then, more than 30,000 lessons and 3,000 guitars have been provided for free. Classes are held weekly and monthly, both individually and in groups, encouraging creative self-expression, positive interaction with peers, and community engagement.

Since that first experience, success has continued, but recently the organization conducted a clinical trial to provide further evidence that learning guitar offers positive benefits for vets with PTSD. Results showed the intervention to be effective in reducing depression symptoms as well as improving health-related quality of life.

The Music Room is dedicated to supporting music education both nationwide and in our own hometown of Palatine. Our Gear Shift program converts the community’s unwanted and repairable instruments into working ones for disadvantaged children and adults, who may not otherwise get to play. Now five years old, the program has repaired more than 300 instruments to distribute to the community.

The students of Laura Vandercar will be performing at a Christmas recital on Friday, December 29 at 11:30 am at St Joseph Home For the Elderly, 80 W Northwest Hwy, Palatine, IL 60067. Join Laura and her students as they perform festive pieces they have been preparing to celebrate the season. The recital is open to friends, family and the general public.

The students of Carley La Pointe will be performing at a Christmas recital on Friday, December 22 at 6:30 pm at Thrive Vineyard Church, 845 E Glencoe St, Palatine, IL. Join Carley and her students as they perform festive pieces they have been preparing to celebrate the season. The recital is open to friends, family and the general public.

The students of Luke Chandler will be performing at a Christmas recital on Thursday, December 21 at 6:30 pm on The Music Room’s lower level. Join Luke and his students as they perform festive pieces they have been preparing to celebrate the season. The recital is open to friends, family and the general public.

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You have obtained the instrument, your child has started playing in band and perhaps they are also taking private lessons. Now is the perfect time for your child to learn how to maintain their own instrument. We all know how important regular oil changes, tire rotations and other routine maintenance practices are for our cars. Musical instruments are no different! They are intricate machines with many moving parts and components that are delicately balanced.

The Music Room’s Our Care & Repair University seminars are designed to give new and returning band and orchestra students a hands-on experience as they are shown basic maintenance routines. These practices are designed to help keep their instruments in proper working order. We will also teach students how to avoid some of the most common perils and pitfalls that can render an instrument unplayable: stuck mouthpieces, overtightened bows, bent keys, sticky or corroded valves and dirty pads.

All Care & Repair University seminars are free and open to band and orchestra students and their parents. Attend as many as you like!

You want to give your child an exposure to music and an opportunity to perform. You might love music and want to share it, or you might wish you understood more but want to give your child the advantages you never had. Whatever the case, here are 7 tips to make the most of this experience for your child.

1. Make attendance and practice a priority. Receiving instruction week-in and week-out ensures accountability between teacher and student and maintains the continuity and momentum of the learning experience. It is between the lessons, however, that the true investment is most fulfilled: without consistent, disciplined practice, efforts at progress from one lesson to the next are exercises in futility!

Be positive about your expectations. Attitudes are contagious. Make the decision right now to enter into this venture with nothing but successful intentions for your child. Share your vision of success with them.

Create a mutual agreement with your child and follow through. Gaining motivation to practice is neither easy or automatic. This is one of the invaluable benefits of studying music! Create an agreement with your child that addresses how much time will be spent practicing (ask your teacher for help with this). A mutually agreed upon practice routine should be a consistent, nonnegotiable part of a child’ s schedule.

Be prepared for varying degrees of frustration. As soon as the newness wears off and the lessons begin to get difficult, students often experience frustration. Being committed to their success means not letting them quit out of frustration. You are in charge. Remind them of the above agreement.

Encourage them to play for family and friends. A short mini concert for family and friends will go a long way in boosting confidence and pride in a student. Investing five to ten minutes as an audience member for your child will do wonders for their motivation. Offer compliments and encourage them regularly.

Communicate regularly with your child’s teacher. Sit in at the beginning or end of the occasional lesson, or simply come into the store when you drop off or pick up for some face- to-face time; it is the best way to keep current on the status of their progress. Don’t hesitate to ask the teacher for help if you need clarification on any aspect of the lesson. Also, encourage your child to talk with you about their lessons. What are they working on? Did they learn something new today? Ask them to demonstrate. This kind of interaction requires a minimal time investment and will boost progress levels immensely.

Help your child build their own music library. Building and maintaining a student’ s own music library is tangible evidence of their accomplishments! Keep in mind also that students of every instrument and of voice need variety and balance in their materials in order to experience progress and motivation. Complementing with fun and interesting music will provide added motivation, particularly if it is music they recognize.

As a music student, what guidance helped you focus and learn? As a parent, what seemed to help your child overcome frustrations and grow musically? Please share them in a comment.

Are you struggling with your child’s frustration over private lessons? I’d be glad to talk to you. Just email me!

It’s a chance for any and all students who are considering playing an instrument in band or orchestra next fall to come in and try out each of the instruments for free! The Music Room’s staff will be on hand and available to give each student the opportunity to touch, hold, feel, blow, strum or pluck any flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, violin, viola or cello.

The Music Room has a fantastic instrument rental program. All payments are applied toward the purchase of the instrument, but there is no obligation to purchase. After students have played the instruments and chosen what they want to play in the fall we can reserve the instrument for you so it’s ready for pickup before school starts.

Early pickup is also available for those students who wish to get a head start on their instrument before school starts. We can also get you started with private lessons during the summer on your chosen instrument.

Can’t decide which one to play? Try them all! Come Blow Your Horn is offered three times throughout the summer. Check the events menu on our website for dates and times.

The students of Carley La Pointe will be performing at a recital on Thursday, June 15 at 7:00 pm on The Music Room’s lower level. Join Carley and her students as they perform pieces they have been preparing to share with friends and family. The recital is open to friends, family and the general public.

It’s a chance for any and all students who are considering playing an instrument in band or orchestra next fall to come in and try out each of the instruments for free!

The Music Room’s staff will be on hand and available to give each student the opportunity to touch, hold, feel, blow, strum or pluck any flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, violin, viola or cello.

The Music Room has a fantastic instrument rental program. All payments are applied toward the purchase of the instrument, but there is no obligation to purchase. After students have played the instruments and chosen what they want to play in the fall we can reserve the instrument for you so it’s ready for pickup before school starts.

Early pickup is also available for those students who wish to get a head start on their instrument before school starts. We can also get you started with private lessons during the summer on your chosen instrument.

Can’t decide which one to play? Try them all! Come Blow Your Horn is offered three times throughout the summer. Check the events menu on our website for dates and times.

First time band parents trying to navigate their instrument options have a lot to think about. The Music Room is here to answer your questions.

Q. What’s the right instrument for my son or daughter?

A. Students often don’t know what they want to play. Sometimes they are influenced by friends or the music they like. We suggest letting your future musician try out different band and orchestra instruments at one of our Come Blow Your Horn events. They can see for themselves what feels right for them and get an idea of what to expect. The next event will be held on May 24, 2017.